US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA4606

UNCLAS PRETORIA 004606 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TPP/MTA-BCRAFT; AF/EPS-MNORMAN; IIP/G/AF- 
AMURPHY; AF/PD-LMING 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, ETRD, KPAO, SF 
SUBJECT: DVC REQUEST: UNDERSECRETARY JOSETTE SHINER ON WTO 
 
 
1. Program description: Pretoria requests a one-hour DVC 
with Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and 
Agricultural Affairs Josette Shiner to interact with South 
African media and academics on U.S. commitment to a 
successful WTO Ministerial Conference. This engagement would 
be designed to counter persistent inaccuracies about the US 
position on agricultural subsidies, inaccuracies that 
threaten to take root in South Africa.  Chief among the 
inaccurate claims being repeated by South African Government 
officials is that the U.S. WTO agriculture proposal, instead 
of ensuring subsidy cuts, actually permits the United States 
to expand its domestic subsidies through box switching. 
 
2. This request is in response to SecState 207068 from the 
Undersecretary, which asks that Posts rapidly rebut any 
attempts to mischaracterize the USG position in WTO 
negotiations. 
 
3. An earlier plan to have a second DVC with SAG trade 
officials has been put on hold pending their confirmation of 
availability to participate. 
 
4. Format: We propose a one-hour DVC with prominent business 
journalists and think-tank academics.  U.S. Consulate 
Johannesburg (PAS) would host the dialogue. 
 
5. Time Frame: The DVC should be at the earliest date 
possible to have maximum impact before the Hong Kong 
ministerial, which starts December 12. Per email exchanges 
with the Department, it appears that Tuesday, November 22, 
would be the only possible opportunity next week; otherwise, 
Post recommends any day during the week of November 28. 
Suggested start time is 9 a.m. (Washington). 
 
6. Among the journalists and academics we would invite are: 
Jonathan Katzenellenbogen, Senior international affairs 
reporter, Business Day; Siseko Njobeni, trade and investment 
reporter, Business Day; Jabulani Sikhankhane, deputy editor, 
Business Report; Peter Fabricius, foreign editor, The Star; 
Paul Richardson, specialist writer (trade), Sunday Times; 
Andre Scheepers, specialist journalist, economics desk, 
South African Broadcasting Corp.; Peter Draper, research 
fellow - development through trade, The South African 
Institute of International Affairs. 
 
7. Mission Program Officer: Assistant Information Officer 
Dan Biers; work tel (27) (12) 431-4217, home tel (27) (12) 
346-8922, cell (27) (84) 950-0680; work fax (27) (12) 342- 
2090; biersdl@state.gov. DVC Program telephone number is 27- 
11-838-0249 for Johannesburg. 
 
TEITELBAUM